Unfortunately, just as silent as Relic Entertainment was before 2021, they’ve made numerous announcements since the turn of the year. This has made it difficult to keep up with everything that Relic has announced about Age of Empires IV. This is especially after the most recent Age of Empires showcase. From the release down to the trailer, as well as all the available civilizations in Age of Empires IV, scroll down to learn more about Age of Empires IV.
Is There An Age of Empires IV Trailer Available?
Relic Entertainment dropped the first-ever gameplay trailer for Age of Empires IV back in 2019. Nearly two years later, they released a more extensive trailer at an April 2021 special Age of Empires event. As part of the 26-minute livestream, Relic Entertainment showed fans what to expect from Age of Empires IV once it releases. Dubbed as a “spiritual successor” to Age of Empires II, the 6-minute Age of Empires IV trailer took audiences through the Dark Ages, Feudal Age, Castle Age, as well as the Imperial Age, with the advent of a new era adding more upgrades and technologies for players to tinker around with and explore. In the same Age of Empires IV trailer, Relic also offered a glimpse at the playable individual civilizations for the upcoming real-time strategy title.
When Is The Age of Empires IV Release Date?
Unfortunately, there is no release date for Age of Empires IV as of the moment. All we have to go on is the official Steam page of Age of Empires IV, which states that the game has a “Fall 2021” release window. It’s important to take note though that all previous Age of Empires games were originally released in the fall of their launch years.
What Is the Age of Empires IV Gameplay Like?
Make no mistake. Age of Empires IV might look better than its predecessors, but it is very much still an Age of Empires game. The core gameplay of the real-time strategy franchise remains obvious from the gameplay trailers alone. The fourth mainline title will still give players control over an entire civilization, both at a macro level and a micro level. What this means is that players can still aspect to have villagers forage around for valuable resources while also commanding vast armies of different troop variations and investing in improving the culture, as well as the technology of your people. Based on the trailer, the real fun of Age of Empires IV lies in how and when your civilization comes into contact with others. So, is Age of Empires IV just a better-looking Age of Empires game? Yes, and no. In addition to looking better, Age of Empires IV will incorporate documentary footage that the developers actually shot in real-world locations. This was reportedly done to help provide some weight and context into the many missions and battles players will encounter during the game’s single-player campaign. Relic Entertainment seems like they want players to learn more about actual history while playing Age of Empires IV, as opposed to just living through it.
Will Age of Empires IV Introduce New Civilizations?
Yes. Age of Empires IV will let players choose from new civilizations. So far, Relic has revealed only four. Namely, the Chinese, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mongols, and the English. The developers have gone to extreme lengths to provide in-depth descriptions for each of the civilizations available in Age of Empires IV. Here’s a quick summary of the strengths and specializes of the four confirmed civilizations of Age of Empires IV.
The Chinese have a unique Dynasty system with a particular inclination towards buildings and constructions, as well as gunpowder. The Delhi Sultanate has access to the War Elephant army unit and will reportedly be at the “forefront of technological innovation.” The English will specialize in the creation of a network of castles. This affords its people a more defensible position via archers. Additionally, the English will have access to a more reliable food source as well. The Mongols’ strength in Age of Empires VI lies in their nomadic tendencies. Their agile military affords them a huge advantage in the open fields and when moving around the map.
How Do You Participate in the Age of Empires IV Beta?
Age of Empires IV will hold a closed beta for Age Insider members. All you have to do for a chance to participate is to sign up via the official website. So long as you register, are at least 18 years of age, and have an Xbox Live / Microsoft Account, Relic Entertainment will consider sending you over an invite to the Age of Empires IV closed beta.
Is Age of Empires IV Going to Release on Consoles?
Keep in mind that Xbox Game Studios is one of the publishers of Age of Empires IV. Although this means that the likelihood of it coming to the PS4 and PS5 are slim, this does hint at the possibility of Age of Empires IV coming to the Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X at some point in the future, whenever that may be. Just try not to get your hopes too high up. Only Age of Empires 2 was available on consoles and only on the PlayStation 2 at that.
